This invention relates to bathing systems and more particularly to a bathing system which is easy to use by bathers who are sufficiently ambulatory to enter, bathe and exit without the assistance of another person but who may otherwise be ill or handicapped to the extent that a stationary bathtub is difficult or dangerous for them to use.
In one class of bathing system, the tub pivots to a position in which it is easier for a patient to enter than the normal bathing position of the tub. After the patient has entered the tub, the tub pivots to a bathing position where it can be filled with water for bathing After bathing, the tub is drained and pivoted to a position in which the patient more easily leaves the tub.
In one type of prior art bathing system of this class, the tub pivots about one end, which end has mounted near it the necessary plumbing for filling the tub with water. The seat is horizontal when the tub is pivoted for entering but moves to a vertical position so that the bather is supine during bathing. The controls and faucets are not within easy reach of the bather and must be operated by another person.
This prior art type of bathing system has several disadvantages, such as: (1) it requires bathing in the supine position but most bathers prefer to be in a sitting position during bathing rather than in a supine position; (2) it requires two people since the bather cannot operate the controls; and (3) it is not convenient for a bather that is partly ambulatory to move unassisted from a wheelchair or the like into the seat of a bathing system.
In another type of prior art bathing system of this class, a chair is mounted to a stationary support and remains stationary as the tub is pivoted about an axis. The axis in a first embodiment is in front of the chair, and in a second embodiment, is located closely adjacent to the back rest of the chair. In the first of these embodiments, the tub pivots upwardly to permit the patient to enter from the sides and in the second embodiment, the tub is pivoted backwardly so that a patient can enter from the sides or from the front A bathing system of this type is described specifically in U.S. Pat. No. 3,641,596.
This type of bathing system has several disadvantages such as: (1) it requires substantial space particularly in elevation to permit the pivoting of the tub about a relatively high axis; (2) the tub must generally be formed in an irregular fashion to conserve space; and (3) the patient is exposed to air which may chill the patient. There are two time periods during which the patient is exposed to chilling air in this prior art type of bathing system, which are: (1) from the time the patient enters the chair of the bathing system until the tub has been rotated into bathing position and filled with water; and (2) even more harmfully, during the time period occurring after the patient has been bathed but while the tub is being drained and pivoted into the entering-and-exiting position until the time the patient has left the bathing system.
In still another prior art type of bathing system, a seat and a tub are movable with respect to each other to permit easy entrance of the patient. The seat may be kept warm when the tub is not filled by a warm fluid which fills a chamber formed by tub portions and the back of the seat.
This type of prior art bathing system does not disclose a solution to the problem of mounting a bathing system within a closed space nor of providing warmth fully to the upper portion of the patient since it only provides for warming the seat itself. Thus, the patient is exposed to cold air and may be chilled thereby.